Saturday, September 20, 2008

Hernandez Withdraws Name from City Commission Race, Will Run for Mayor in 2011

Folks,

I received the below e-mail from former commissioner, Ernie Hernandez. He had recently announced his plans to run for At-large B City Commissioner, but he has changed his mind. Instead, Hernandez will run for Mayor in 2011. I am publishing his e-mail with his permission.

Melissa

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Melissa,

I have been City Commissioner for a total of 14 years. During those 14 years, I have been able to be a part of some wonderful and amazing things that have happened to this city.

I have decided not to run in the At Large-B race because it is my understanding that there are some truly intelligent and highly qualified individuals interested in running, yourself included.

The passion that I have for this City has always steered me to take stands on issues, albeit sometimes highly controversial, and more importantly ALWAYS do the right thing. I firmly believe that the right thing to do is to allow another qualified individual who shares the same passion that I do for this city be a part of the Brownsville team.

Besides, I at this time, need to stay focused on my main objective...and that is to LEAD the Brownsville team in the right direction. Let there be no doubt that I am running for Mayor in 2011.

While there are “some” qualified and intelligent City Commissioners and very competent management and directors in place right now, there is no leadership by the current Mayor. The city’s leadership is in complete turmoil...and that is very unfortunate. The City Commission meetings have been termed a “circus” and “the laughing stock of the valley” among other things. It has been said that other major cities in the valley use taped copies of the City Commission meetings as propaganda to entice business and commerce to their cities. And that is truly sad, let alone embarrassing. To use our City government meetings as a tool to convince companies not to do business in Brownsville must stop. The Mayor and certain City Commissioners seem not to care about the damage they are doing to the reputation of our community. Enough is Enough!

Despite that, I look forward to being a part of the Brownsville team again, and making the Brownsville team a winning team again...like it once was. People ask me why I do what I do. My response is always that I will never give up on a City that I truly believe in.

Again, let there be no doubt that I am running for Mayor in 2011, and am therefore going to focus my attention and efforts on that campaign.

Good luck to you and any and all other interested persons running in the At Large B race. God Bless and best of luck to you all!

Ernie,Maybe at times, there is chaos and needless bickering on the commission but when there is transparency, you will get that. Not knowing which way a vote will go is the way it should be so one can make a sound judgement with the material given at the meeting. Hearing two sides of an issue and making a fair and honest decision is what good government is about. Your old ways of politics is the reason why Brownsville has moved ahead slowly. Brownsville has moved ahead despite of politicians like you. Most people do not want to do business in this city because politicians like you made it difficult because you were self serving and had the "whats in it for me" attitude. People ask me today if I made a mistake helping Pat Ahumada over you and to this day, my answer is the same, No! Why you ask? Because at the end of the day, I would much deal with a jerk than with a person who has no integrity or who will stab people in the back. Ernie, remember I was a commissioner with you. You worked your votes and supported big developers without caring anything about what was right for the whole community. I have nothing against you other than your reason for being a commissioner or Mayor is nothing more than self interest. Now, if you think that you have changed, which I doubt, then do things and stand up for issues that help our community grow. Don't blame some of the commission meetings on why businesses don't want to come to Brownsville. Have you ever thought that maybe that we have a high threat of hurricanes for our city. Weak levees, high rate of stolen cars, a drug problem in this city, and a low economic base here? You want to show people that you have changed, then stand up and admit you cheated the taxpayers of this city by working your votes to rescind the impact fees at PUB and helped the developers from paying their fair share. You put the burden back on the citizens of Brownsville knowing that they could not afford higher rates at PUB. If you want my support, be a man and admit that you screwed the citizens. Be humble and serve the people and not the special interests that feed your campaigns. A mayor puts people first. Not just rich people but plain ordinary people who can't afford to fill your pockets with money. These are the people that you need to win back. You cant because you owe your soul to the special interests. Forget politics. Serve your community by volunteering with a non-profit organization that could use your experience and remember not to find a way to make a buck out of it. You are in the rotary. I know a lot of people in the rotary you are a part of. They always know when you are running for something because it is only then that you go to the meetings. People are tired of politicians and a big reason is because of the old politics you were a big part of.

The problem with Atkinson is that he's only a little smarter than Capt Bob but a whole lot more aggressive and loud. He truly fancies himself the social conscience of "the people". He is no better than the mayor and in most instances even more crass. Even Longoria is finding it hard to ignore his tirades and demand for attention. Am I the only one that is tired of hearing "can I ask you something?"? This guy is a first class clown who along with the mayor is chasing business away from Brownsville. He needs to go.

Thank you, Charlie. I had a bet that you would make a blog posting within two weeks that would make you look like an ass and you did it in only three days. I'm not talking about your anti-Ernie rant. I mean your response to criticism. Do they really let you carry a gun? Do you want half of the winnings? It won't make up for that city paid insurance you illegaly took but it might buy you a few drinks on your way home from work.

Old, old, same song and complain. If you're going to rag on Charlie, then bring up something new other that referring to his dismissed DWI, I did say DISMISSED! You're like a ex-girlfriend in a fight..always shifting the focus away from the point at hand, and bringing up a dead horse.Move on! or move out! of Brownsville.100 words or less

Good job of trying to shift focus away from the comment regarding Atkinson making an ass of himself,yet again, by accussing the poster of trying to shift focus. By the way, a dismissal is different from a finding of not guilty. If he wanted to be found not guilty, he should have gone to trial.

Ask luis saenz, he had the case. why did he not prosecute? He is bed with CHester Gonzalez who dislike Atkinson. Why did he not pursue it. THere wasn't enough to go to court and that is why it was dismissed.

Again, it's dismissed, which means he doesn't have to go to trial! DUH. Why would someone want to go to trial if charges are dismissed? And for what, so a jury of Brownsville can determine guilt or innocence? maybe he should have asked to be tried, after all a woman murdered her husband, was convicted, and managed to pull out 10 years probation! Not bad. Hope you don't make your wife just a little angry tonight. Sweet dreams.

"Cameron County prosecutor Oscar de la Fuente told Action 4 News that he had talked to the trooper who arrested Atkinson and reviewed the videotape of his arrest.

Since his arrest, Atkinson has disputed the troopers report that he failed field sobriety tests.

But De la Fuente felt there was not enough evidence to guarantee a prosecution.

According to De la Fuente, this was atkinson's first DWI charge.

As part of the deal to dismiss the charges, Atkinson has also agreed to make a $500 dollar donation to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

The Brownsville City Commissioner will also take a victim's impact class.

Brownsville police had arrested Atkinson before he was a city commissioner under a reckless driving charge in February 2006.

Atkinson spent 16 minutes in jail for that arrest and the charge was later dismissed."

So, Luis Saenz is also working under the name of Oscar De La Fuente so he can accept appointments as a special prosecutor without risking a conflict as magistrate? Is that what you are saying? And I guess Atkinson contributted $500.00 to MADD because of his support of the organization and agreed to take the impact classes because he wanted to feel more like the common man. Here is what I think and I may be wrong but it smells like a special prosecutor was appointed so the DA could later claim that he didn't dismiss the charges and thus Charlie could be given favorable treatment without to much political fallout. I think when you are a prosecutor and you can't make a case you don't place conditions on the dismissal. I wonder if the conversation went something like "Charlie, the trooper is going to testify that you failed the field sobriety tests and it's uncontested that you refused to take the breathalyzer test and don't forget that dismissed old arrrest for reckless driving. Now, don't worry Charlie, were gonna do something for you but you gotta give up something so your gonna have to take some classes and give a little money to MADD." So bottom line is a suspect who refused the definitive test and calls the state trooper a liar and a special prosecutor who didn't want to follow through because he couldn't guarantee a conviction. Jeez, if you could always guarantee a conviction why have a trial? As I recollect, the code doesn't say you bring someone to trial only if you are positive of a conviction, it says you bring them to trial if you think their is sufficient evidence that they commited a crime. I don't think your man Charlie has room to get too rightous here.

Go sign up for a Criminal Justice class buddy. It's the states responsibility to prove the case. It is not the defendants responsibility to help them. It may suck at times, but that's the way the Criminal Justice system is set up. Innocent until proven guilty. There is no law that requires to submit to a breathalyzer. There is only the threat of revoking your license if you choose not to. In the end, and despite any argument you have, it's still as a case dismissed.

Actually, the prosecutor, or in this case the special prosecutor, has the power to seek prosecution or dismiss any case they see fit. There are no requirements for the prosecutor to dismiss a weak case or pursue a strong case. This was a strong case; comparative credibility of the two witnesses and a dash camera . It is called discretion and it goes both ways.

Congrats to him for having his case adjudicated in his favor. That does not mean the appearance of impropriety does not exist.

To the Anony nominating Patricia A.,

I say, No truer words have been spoken. There are a couple of aspiring politicos cringing at the thought .

Thanks but I'm intimately acquainted with my flaws and know myself well enough to know I shouldn't be in charge of leading anything. Not enough members of our local political class know that about themselves, though it's obvious to the rest of us.

However, if I ran for Mayor and won, I would get a gavel with a really long handle so I could reach out and whack those speaking out of turn. I would make Ahumada seem civil.

Thanks but I'm intimately acquainted with my flaws and know myself well enough to know I shouldn't be in charge of leading anything. Not enough members of our local political class know that about themselves, though it's obvious to the rest of us.

How about one term where the goal is "Stopping and dismantling" as opposed to leading? Just a few key firings and "unappoinments" should do the trick. Maybe some aggressive early debt retirement, and traffic flow accountability? Just a couple of issues and a "No" vote whenever it is a tie. Just a thought.

Failing that, your support of Scruffy will get you three licks on the back of your hand. What other appreciation have these guys given you, other than squandering millions?